Killing Me Softly: A Thriller Romance Novel [FIRST DRAFT]

Chapter 29

I knew I wasn't doing the best at being an investigative journalist. I had gotten too caught up in everything that happened and Theo Jameson.

When Detectives Granger and Garcia sat down with Janice and me, I was shaking. Not only because the hospital was freezing cold, but also because I was nervous about what they were about to tell us.

Detective Garcia took out a tablet and a pen, probably to write down everything we say.

"Now, Miss Morrison, we know you've been with Mister Theo Jameson nearly a week now. Correct?" Detective Granger glared at me with piercing, judgmental green eyes.

"Yes," I answered, feeling the weight of guilt upon me. I didn't know why I felt that way. Perhaps it was because I had helped Theo hide from Yoakum.

"I see," he dropped his eyes. "I have a couple of questions for you, if you would be so kind."

"Sure," I shrugged and looked over to Janice sitting next to me with a nervous look on her face.

"What is your relationship to Mr. Jameson exactly?" He asked.

"Um, just a friend, I suppose," I said.

Detective Granger stared through me. "Is it romantic in nature, platonic, or simple?"

Janice and I looked at each other. I dropped my eyes and wondered if how I answered would incriminate Theo in any way. But I didn't want to lie either.

"It's semi-romantic," I said just under my breath as guilt flushed through me.

The detectives looked at each other and then back at me. "Have you had sexual relations or...?" Detective Granger asked.

I heated at the cheeks and felt like I was getting the cold sweats. I gulped and licked my lips briefly before answering, realizing I was breathing in and out through my mouth, drying my lips out.

"Yes," I answered lowly.

Detective Granger nodded. "How long would you say you've had this relationship? When did it begin?"

"This week...on Tuesday."

"Your relationship or your sexual relations?" Detective Granger asked.

I swear, if he said "sexual relations" one more time, I was going to scream.

"Our relationship."

"There was something in his home that we found kind of interesting," Detective Granger said, reaching into his shirt pocket and pulling out an old folded piece of notebook paper that looked as if it had been ripped out of a Five Star notebook. He held it out to me. "Can you tell us what this is?"

I took it from him, getting the strange sense I recognized the folded paper. I took it from him. My heart started racing when I saw the dark blue scribble on the college ruled lines, especially when I saw the first two words, "Dear Theo."

I could not believe what I was seeing at the moment. After all these years, I never thought I would see it ever again! Even though it was dated, I remembered the exact date and time I had written that letter to Theo. It was February 14th, Valentine's Day, 2001. I wrote it that morning in English Literature class after my friends had encouraged me to write the love letter to Theo and give it to him.

Reading the letter sent me back in time, and all of the feelings I had for Theo when I wrote it returned to me.

"Do you recognize this letter?" Detective Granger asked.

"Yes. I wrote it to him in the tenth grade. I can't believe he still has it," I said, my heart wanting to explode knowing Theo had kept it all these years. I offered it back to the detectives.